22. Encirclement
Li Fengnian has been a bit anxious and stressed lately, and blisters have appeared around his lips.
As the variety show with the most investment from Apple Media this year, "I Am an Actor" not only had low ratings after its first episode aired, but also attracted a lot of criticism.
Netizens are all criticizing him, saying that such a powerful team could have hired such terrible actors! It's like a five-star chef working hard for ages only to serve up a plate of shit!
You can't blame netizens for being harsh; as the director, he knows exactly how the show is doing.
As the first acting variety show in China, "I Am an Actor" was not well-regarded by many before Ye Zhenzhen became its title sponsor. Although it was Apple's biggest investment project this year and had the best technical support team in the industry, it was not a popular show.
He went to great lengths to invite several well-known directors in the industry and carried out a series of hype campaigns, turning the show into a touchstone for acting skills, which is how it gained popularity.
According to his own idea, the participating actors should definitely be mostly skilled actors to ensure quality, and it would be best to pair them with popular young idols to attract attention.
When it came to casting, everyone tried their best to send their own actors to gain prestige. As a small director, he had little influence and couldn't even guarantee the fairness of the results of each competition, let alone decide on the actors.
He had been preparing for this show for almost half a year and put in so much effort, but it was ruined by someone else. It's getting worse and worse as we film it!
Looking at the recently aired show "Let's Go Traveling Together," one can't help but marvel at how lucky Jiang Wei is.
When his film "Journey" was first proposed, no one was optimistic about it. Although funding was a bit tight, no one interfered, and the director had the final say.
All the guests were carefully selected by Jiang Wei, and the last vacancy was filled by Ye Zhenzhen, who had the highest profile.
After the first episode aired, the viewership ratings broke the record for this year's variety shows, and the word-of-mouth was also good. It became a hit in just one day.
He was filled with envy, jealousy, and resentment!
"Director Li, after the first episode of our travel show aired, netizens compared our two programs and we got criticized again." The director looked at his phone for a while and said to him with a long face.
"What are you cursing about now?"
"Everyone says you have a very discerning eye for casting, that you collect all sorts of oddballs..." The director, seeing the director's expression, spoke softer and softer.
“What can we do? The actors are already here and we can’t turn them back. We can only try to find a way based on what we have.” Li Fengnian took a deep breath and told himself not to get angry. “Zhou Jin and Zhan Yan did a great job in the first episode. Their boss is also the show’s title sponsor. When Ms. Ye arrives later, have someone follow them closely and gather as much footage as possible.”
"It's a pity Ms. Ye didn't come to our program." The director was so envious of the popularity of "Travel".
“If she comes, we’ll get even more criticism. Don’t you know how bad her acting is?!” Li Fengnian glared at him. “Use her popularity to promote Zhou Jin and Zhan Yan, and divert the audience’s attention.”
"It's too obvious, we're afraid other actors' fans will attack us."
"I'd love to promote them, but they're hopelessly hopeless!" Li Fengnian said, his temper flaring up again.
"Director, Miss Ye is coming soon!" the assistant ran over to report.
"Quick, are you filming? Come with me!" Li Fengnian rushed downstairs to greet them.
Today, Ye Zhenzhen wore a sky-blue silk cheongsam, white jade earrings, a gold necklace with a matching jade ruyi lock, and a white jade bracelet. She radiated a warm glow.
Zhao Nanqiao, who was also there to join in the fun, volunteered to be her driver when she heard that she was going to the filming location of "I Am an Actor".
This person is used to being casual and too lazy to change clothes. He is not at all shy in a hoodie, jeans, and baseball cap.
Behind them followed a young assistant carrying two large bouquets of flowers.
They were ushered into the studio by the crowd. After exchanging pleasantries, Li Fengnian arranged for an assistant director to accompany them throughout the process, introducing the various sets and filming equipment in the studio.
"Wow, that's a huge investment! So luxurious! This filming equipment is like what you'd use for a movie!" Zhao Nanqiao exclaimed.
The assistant director said a few words of modesty, but his eyes were full of joy at being praised.
"So this is a huge stadium, where different sets are built directly using mobile platforms, and seamless switching is achieved during recording?" After walking around the huge studio and with the explanation from the assistant director and Zhao Nanqiao, Ye Zhenzhen finally understood how they filmed it, and was amazed by the technical team's creativity and execution.
After escorting the two to the actors' dressing room, the assistant director left to film them and went to get busy with his work; the recording of the program would begin in a little while.
On their way to Zhou Jin and Zhan Yan's dressing room, the two ran into Bai Xue, who had finished her makeup and was talking to her manager.
Upon seeing Ye Zhenzhen, his face instantly darkened.
Only after noticing the paparazzi behind him did he manage to adjust his expression, say hello, and walk away quickly.
"Why is Ye Zhenzhen backstage?!" Bai Xue asked with a gloomy expression as soon as she entered the dressing room.
“She’s the title sponsor, and there are two other people from her company participating in the show. She’s probably here to visit the set,” her agent, Liu Wei, reassured her. “It’s even better that she’s here. Recording is about to start. This role is the type you’re best at. Just go up there and give it a good performance. When it airs, we can use that to generate some buzz.”
Bai Xue's expression softened slightly as she looked at herself in the mirror. Her role today was a pure and innocent girl who had been framed in a palace drama. Her makeup was simple, and her headdress was just a simple silver hairpin. Paired with a light pink and white costume, her main goal was to portray a charming and pitiful character.
She was initially satisfied with the look, but the thought that all the jewelry was provided by Ye Zhenzhen made her feel a surge of jealousy, which manifested in her expression. Instead of being pitiful, she looked rather frightening.
On the other side, Ye Zhenzhen paid no attention to the brief meeting just now.
Since she came into this world, she has been determined not to act anymore, so naturally she is not on the same track as Bai Xue.
She's currently busy recording variety shows to cultivate her relationship with Gu Sinan, designing jewelry, developing Taoyao, and recently she's got a black leopard to keep her company. Her life is so fulfilling, she has no time to pay attention to Bai Xue.
"Thank you, boss. Can we take a picture together?" Zhan Yan blushed with excitement as she accepted a large bouquet of red roses from her assistant.
Zhou Jin, holding a bouquet of white roses, smiled shyly and came over as well.
Zhan Yan wore her hair in a bun and a deep robe with a curved hem; Zhou Jin wore a straight-hemmed robe and a scholar's cap.
The two stood on either side of Ye Zhenzhen and had their assistant take a group photo.
"I watched the first episode, and you two performed very well. Don't be too nervous, just perform normally." Ye Zhenzhen encouraged the two of them for a few words before leaving to take her seat in the audience, leaving them to continue preparing.
Li Fengnian reserved two front-row, center seats for Ye Zhenzhen, which was quite eye-catching.
During the recording, the camera would occasionally pan to the audience. It was Ye Zhenzhen's first time participating in the recording of such a large-scale variety show, and she felt it was a magical experience, like being on a film set, watching the director instruct the actors on set.
The cast of "The Actor" consists of four directors, all of whom are renowned directors in the industry, three men and one woman, covering three generations: old, middle-aged and young.
Feng Wei, the director of Zhou Jin and Zhan Yan, is the only female director present. She is a leading figure among the younger generation, skilled at exploring the inner world of her characters, and her works are full of reflections on human nature.
Ye Zhenzhen watched attentively from the audience, with Zhao Nanqiao, an expert, explaining things to her. After the recording, her understanding of film and television production deepened considerably.
Zhou Jin and Zhan Yan are in the second group. The scene they are recreating today is from "The Emperor Wu of Han", where Crown Prince Liu Ju is framed and prepares to raise an army.
Zhou Jin plays the benevolent and gentle Crown Prince Liu Ju, while Zhan Yan plays his mother, Wei Zifu. Ye Zhenzhen watched intently, her mind completely captivated by the plot. When the Crown Prince hanged himself with disheveled hair, she felt a pang of sorrow and shed tears.
The director focused the camera on her, giving a close-up of her red, glistening eyes and her tear-streaked, curled eyelashes. Only then did he move on to filming the other audience members, completely satisfied.
The veteran actors who co-starred with them were very impressive. Although Zhan Yan and Zhou Jin's performances were a little immature, they were very infectious, and the audience burst into enthusiastic applause at the end.
Bai Xue appeared late and had watched their performance in the dressing room. Already nervous, she was even more flustered when she saw Ye Zhenzhen in the very center of the front row on stage. Her composure crumbled, and her performance was worse than the previous episode. Liu Wei, watching from backstage, shook his head in disbelief.
After the recording ended and she said goodbye to the production team, Zhao Nanqiao was about to suggest sending Ye Zhenzhen back when her friend answered the phone.
"Qiaoqiao, you don't need to see me off," Ye Zhenzhen said, feeling somewhat shy for some reason.
"Oh~ Your man came to pick you up, right? Tsk tsk tsk..." She wanted to tease her a bit more, but seeing Ye Zhenzhen's flushed face, she knew she would get annoyed if she continued, so she shut her mouth. "Let's go, I'll see you out."
As soon as the two entered the lobby, they were nearly blinded by a barrage of flashes from cameras, and screams filled the air.
"It's out! It's out!!"
"Ahhh, who is it? It's Ye Zhenzhen!!"
"Don't push! Ouch, who pushed me?!"
"Is that Ye Zhenzhen? Quick, rush over and yell at her!!"
Outside, fans from all over the country were waiting for their idol to get off work. When they saw Ye Zhenzhen come out, they excitedly pushed forward. Although they might not all be fans of Tao, Ye Zhenzhen's popularity is currently at an all-time high, so they might as well go and see her in person!
Several
The security personnel were jostled and pushed about, and no matter how hard they shouted, they couldn't control the situation.
In the chaos, a little girl was pushed to the ground. Ye Zhenzhen was being pulled by Zhao Nanqiao and was about to walk into the venue when she turned around and saw this scene.
Without thinking, she turned around, and Zhao Nanqiao turned his head and saw her too. The two of them went forward together and helped the terrified girl up.
But because of that little bit of time lost, they were surrounded by the frenzied crowd. The assistant was a step too slow and was squeezed on the outermost edge. Being small and weak, she was so anxious that she was almost crying.
"Everyone calm down, don't push forward, it's dangerous!!" Ye Zhenzhen and Zhao Nanqiao protected the little girl together, trying their best to maintain their balance and shouting in the crowd, but the out-of-control crowd was difficult to calm down quickly.
Just as she was sweating profusely with anxiety, a large hand pulled her into a cedar-scented embrace and held her tightly. She was startled at first, but when she saw who it was, the weight in her heart instantly lifted.
She leaned weakly against the man's firm chest, the familiar scent filling her nostrils and the strong beat of his heart ringing in her ears. He held her tightly, and she walked steadily away from the chaos towards safety.
She turned her head and looked around, and only when she saw that Zhao Nanqiao and the little girl were being protected by the staff did she feel completely relieved.
Fans at the scene recorded the entire event and posted it online, which immediately became a trending topic.
"Ye Zhenzhen is surrounded by fans!"
"Where is this? Isn't there any security? It's so dangerous! A little girl was almost trampled!"
"Ye Zhenzhen is such a nice person! She risked being trampled to come back, and kept telling everyone to calm down! Whose fans are so rude? They almost caused a safety accident!!"
"Who was that bodyguard who came over to maintain order? He's tall and handsome, and he pulled Ye Zhenzhen into his arms in no time!!"
"What bodyguard? That's Ye Zhenzhen's husband, the heir to the Gu Group! Did the upstairs family just get internet? Haven't you seen 'Let's Go Traveling' even though it's so popular?!"
"That sudden pull into his arms was so swoon-worthy, who can understand?! His boyfriend power is off the charts! The Peach Blossom Couple is the sweetest ever!!!"
"This is the first time I've truly appreciated Ye Zhenzhen's beauty. The way she looked, her hair disheveled, squeezed in the crowd, was so touching. She looked like a little princess in distress, thankfully rescued by the arriving general. Ancient AU, I can instantly imagine 3000 words!!!"
"Pass the pen to my wife!!! I'm begging for a quick, blood-written petition!! The kids want to see it!!!"
"Who is the girl next to Ye Zhenzhen? If she and Ye Zhenzhen hadn't helped that girl up, the consequences would have been unimaginable!"
"I found her Weibo! She's a recent graduate of the directing department at the drama academy, and she's best friends with Ye Zhenzhen. There are lots of photos of the two of them together on her Weibo. I have to say, she's kind of cool!"
The official Weibo account of "The Actor" has posted a message urging fans to be rational in their idol worship!
Gu Tingshen hadn't even reached the stadium entrance when he heard screams in the distance. Unable to get through to Ye Zhenzhen, he immediately dialed Apple CEO Lin Feng's cell phone.
He ran towards the venue entrance while making a phone call. Being tall, he spotted Ye Zhenzhen, who was deep in the crowd, at a glance.
Meanwhile, Lin Feng hurriedly contacted Li Fengnian, who quickly brought his men over, and the situation was brought under control.
This incident alarmed Apple Pictures executives, and Li Fengnian was also in a cold sweat afterward, ordering people to investigate which fan groups were causing trouble.
Upon investigation, it was discovered that the people who initially pushed people forward were all Bai Xue's fans. The two sides often feuded before, so it was no surprise that they were extremely hostile towards Ye Zhenzhen, which led to this chaos.
Li Fengnian gritted his teeth in anger, secretly making a fuss about Bai Xue. He had thought she had some acting skills before, but in the past few days, not only were her acting skills bad, but she also liked to do crooked things. Now she almost caused a safety accident and sent him to the news. How could he not hate her?
At first glance, the official Weibo post seems fine, but upon closer inspection, it reveals that the chaos was caused by Snow White fans.
After the first episode of "The Actor" aired, Bai Xue's acting skills were already questioned by netizens. Her fans were trying to defend her online and belittle other contestants. This incident completely aroused public outrage.
After Bai Xue finished performing, she smashed the dressing room to pieces in a fit of rage. Liu Wei finally managed to calm her down, but then his assistant rushed in in a panic. His heart skipped a beat, and a sense of foreboding washed over him...
After reading the official Weibo post, he was so angry that he felt dizzy. They usually guide the Xue fans to stir up trouble online. Those young and impulsive fans are the best weapons in their hands, charging into battle for Bai Xue and winning every battle in the war of public opinion.
Now this knife has finally turned against its master.
While contacting the fan club administrators, he was also cursing the production team under his breath and dealing with Bai Xue's bad temper. He felt completely overwhelmed...
Gu Tingshen arranged for his driver to take the somewhat frightened Zhao Nanqiao and her assistant home, and handed the unfortunate girl over to the production team. Only then did he drive away amidst Li Fengnian's profuse thanks, heading towards Mantingfang.
Ye Zhenzhen sat in the passenger seat, her face somewhat pale.
This was the first time she had ever witnessed such a crazy fan scene. Surrounded by the crowd, her adrenaline made her oblivious to fear and fatigue. She tried her best to stay steady amidst the pushing and shoving, protecting a little girl who was almost trampled.
As the crisis passed and the effects of the hormones gradually faded, she realized that her limbs were weak, her hands on her knees were trembling slightly involuntarily, and she belatedly felt fear.
A large, tanned hand reached out from the side and grasped her cold hand.
Ye Zhenzhen trembled slightly, somewhat craving the dry, hot touch of his palm, letting him envelop her hand with his strong palm until it was warmed by his touch.
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